Tobacco container



Sgph 19, 1950 J. KROHN 2,522,952

TOBACCO CONTAINER Filed Sept. 27, 1946 INVENTOR. wa 072E072,

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. Patented Sept. 19, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ToBAooo CONTAINERJoseph Krohn, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 27, 1946, Serial No. 699,831

The present invention relates generally to containers for tobacco. Moreparticularly the invention relates to that type of container which isdesigned to be carried in the pocket, comprises a comparatively thinopen top body and a removable cover for the open top of the body, andhas a water'saturated pad therein for maintaining the tobacco in thebody in a humidified or moistened condition;

One object of the invention is to provide a tobacco container of thistype which is generally an improvement upon and'has certain inherentadvantages over previously designed containers and is characterized bythe fact that it efiectively and efliciently fulfills its intendedpurpose and p is 'so designed or constructed that it may be produced ata low cost.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a tobacco container ofthe type and character under consideration in'which the cover isprovided with a continuous depending skirt and embodies a member whichis disposed within the skirt, extends between the opposed side portionsof the skirt and has a twofold purpose in that it serves to reinforcethe side portions of the skirt against inward or outward fiexure anddefines an open bottom compartment for the water saturated pad.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tobacco container ofthe last mentioned character in which the cover has the reinforcing andV compartment forming member situated or disposed adjacent one endthereof .and embodies at its other end a comparatively small dischargeopening together with a hinged supplemental cover ,for closing suchopening.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tobacco containerwhich is generally of new and improved construction.

. Other objects of the invention and the various advantages andcharacteristics of the present tobacco container will be apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which arehereinafter set forth. and are more particularly defined by claims atthe conclusion hereof. y

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specificationor disclosure and in a which like numerals of reference denotecorresponding. parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a perspective of a tobacco container embodying theinvention;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section;

2 Claims. (G1. 312-31.1)

, user.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view; Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on theline 5-5 of Figure 2 and illustrating in detail the construction, designand arrangement of the;

member that extends between the side portions of the skirt of the maincover and serves, not only to reenforce such portions against inward andoutward flexure, but also to define an open bottom compartment for thewater saturated pad; and

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 68 of Figure2 and showing the manner in which the lower marginal portion of the maincover engages slidably the upper marginal portion of the side wall ofthe body when the main cover is in its closed or normal position.

The container which is shown in the drawing constitutes the preferredform or embodiment of the invention. It is primarily designed or adaptedto be filled with tobacco and carried in the users pocket and as itsprincipal components or parts comprises a body 7, a removable cover 8and an absorbent pad 9.

The body 1 consists of a continuous side wall I0 and a bottom wall I land these together define an open top compartment l2 for the tobacco.Preferably the body '5 is formed of molded socalled plastic material,such as Tenite, and is considerably wider and taller than it is thick.As shown in the drawing, the body is generally of arcuate cross sectionin order that when placed in the pocket it will conform to the body ofthe The bottom wall I! of the body is joined to, and formed integrallywith, the lower end of the continuous side wall E0. The upper end of theside wall is provided with a continuous external transversely extendinggroove IS in order that it may be of less thickness than the remainderof the side wall. The lower end of the groove 18 is defined by anexternal continuous upwardly extending shoulder I4. It is contemplatedthat the body 1 will be so proportioned or of such size that thecompartment l2 therein will be of sufiicient capacity to store at leasta days supply of tobacco.

The cover 8 when in place serves as a closure for the open top storagecompartment l2 which is defined by the side and bottom walls of thebody. It is preferably formed of the same molded plastic material as thebod and consists of a top wall 15 and a continuous depending skirt l6.As shown in the drawing the cross sectional shape of the covercorresponds t that of the 3 body. The upper end of the continuousdepending skirt [6 is joined to, and formed integrally with, themarginal portion of the cover top Wall IS. The lower end of the skirt isprovided with a continuous internal groove i! in order that it may be ofreduced thickness. It is adapted in connection with application of thecover 8 to slide downwards around the .upper end of the side wall it ofthe body I. The upper end of the groove H is defined by an internaldownwardly facing shoulder E8. The height of the groove I! is the sameas the groove l3 with the result that when the cover 8 is in itsoperative or closed position the lower edge of the skirt of the coverabuts against the shoulder 14 and the upper end edge of the body sidewall I!) abuts against the shoulder [8. The cover is yieldingly held inits closed position by way of a plurality of connections consisting ofoutwardly projecting ribs l9 on the upper end of the body side wall land inwardly facing notches 25] in the lower end of the skirt 16 of thecover. Preferably there are four rib and groove connections and theseare arranged so that two are located at the end portions of the bodyside wall and the cover skirt and two are located adjacent the centralparts of the side portions of the body side wall and cover skirt. Whenthe cover is slid downwards into its closed position the ribs [9 snapinto the notches 20 and coact therewith yieldingly to hold the cover inplace. The upper end of the body side wall and the lower end of thecover skirt are slightly resilient or flexible due to the fact that theare of reduced' thickness and hence in connection with sliding of thecover into place the ribs snap into the notches. In addition to the topwall l and the continuous depending skirt is the cover comprises a ringshaped member 2|. This member is formed integrally with, and dependsfrom, the top wall l5 and is located within and adjacent one end of thecover. It defines an open bottom compartment 22 for the pad 9. Thelatter is formed of felt, spOnge rubber or any other suitable absorbentor absorptive material. It is adapted to be saturated with water inorder that it serves to maintain the tobacco in the container in ahumidified or moistened condition. The pad is preferably f cylindricalshape or conformation and is retained in the open bottom compartment 22either by way of cement or by being made oversize-d and compressedwithin the compartment. The lower end of the ring shaped member 2| isflush with the downwardly facing shoulder l8, as best shown in Figure 2.The side portions of the member ar joined to, and formed integrallywith, the adjacent parts of the side portions of the continuousdepending skirt l6 and as a result the member serves, not only to definean open bottom compartment for the pad 9, but also to reenfo'rce theside portions of the skirt against inward or outward flexure. By havingthe lower end of the member 2! flush with the downwardly facing shoulderI8 the member does not interfere with slight fiexure of the lower end ofthe cover skirt in connection with application of the cover to the upperend of the body 1. The end of the cover top wall that is opposite theend having the ring shaped member 2| is provided with a comparativelsmall discharge opening 23 and this is normall closed by a supplementalcover 2 3. The opening 23 when the supplemental cover is in its openposition, permits the tobacco in the container to be poured out of thecontainer into a pipe or other instrumentality for use in smoking of thetobaccQ- 6 supplemental cover 24 is shaped conformably to the dischargeopening 23 and is hinged at its inner end by wa of a pin 25. The centralportion of the pin extends loosely through a transverse horizontallyextending hole 26 in the inner end of the supplemental cover 24 and theends of the pin are fixed within holes 21 in the adjacent parts of theside portion of the cover skirt l6. By reason of the fact that the ringshaped member 2| reenforces the central portion and upper end of thecover skirt l6 against inward or downward fiexure there is no likelihoodof the ends of the pin 25 becoming loose so far as the holes 21 areconcerned. The outer end of the supplemental cover 24 is provided with adepending tongue 28 and this is adapted to lap the adjacent end portionof the skirt of the cover when the supplemental cover is in its closedposition. A connection in the form of an outwardly extending rib 29 onsaid adjacent end portion of the skirt of the cover and a coacting notch30 in the inner surface of the tongue 28 serves yieldingly to hold thesupplemental cover in its closed position. When the cover is swung intoits closed position the rib 29 snaps into the groove 30 and coactstherewith yieldingl to hold the supplemental cover closed.

When it is desired to fill the open top compartment I2 in the containerbody 1 or moisten the pad 9 the main cover 8 is removed from the body bysliding it upwards relatively to the body. When the user of thecontainer desires to pour tobacco into a pipe, for example, thesupplemental cover 24 is swung upwards into its open position and thecontainer is then shifted into a downwardly inclined position so thatthe tobacco pours through the discharge opening 23 into the pipe. Afterfilling of the pipe the container is closed by swinging the supplementalcover 24 downwards into its closed position wherein it is fricticnallyor yieldingly held in place by the rib and notch connection between thedepending tongue 28 and the adjacent end portion of the skirt of thecover.

The herein described tobacco container effectively and efficientlyfulfills its intended purpose and is characterized by the fact that thering shaped member has a twofold purpose in that it defines the openbottom compartment 22 for the pad 9 and also so reenforces the sideportions of the depending skirt of the cover that such ortions areprecluded from flexing inwards or outwards and disturbing the mountingof the ends of the pin 25 by which the supplemental cover 24 is hinged.Because of the design and construction of the various parts thecontainer as a whole may be produced at a comparatively low cost.

Whereas the container has been defined as a medium for retaining orstoring tobacco it is to be understood that other material may beretained in it. It is also to be understood that the invention is not tobe restricted to the details set forth since these may be modifiedwithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a container adapted to store anddispense tobacco or like loose material and comprising a comparativelythin open top body, and a removable cover shaped conformably to, andadapted to close, the open top of the body, embodying a top wall and inaddition a continuous depending skirt having the upper end thereofconnected to the marginal portion of the top wall and its lower endprovided with an internal continuous groove for receiving the upper endof the body, and having disposed therein a vertical member extendingbetween, and connected directly to, opposed parts of the side portionsof the skirt, having the lower margin thereof flush with the upperportion of the groove, and arranged and designed to reenforce said sideportions and also to define an open bottom compartment for an absorbentpad.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a container adapted to store anddispense tobacco or like loose material and comprising a comparativelythin hollow open top body, and a removable cover shaped conformably to,and adapted to close, the open top of the body, formed of moldedmaterial, embodying a top wall and in addition a continuous skirt havingthe upper end thereof connected to the marginal portion of the top walland its lower end provided with a continuous internal groove forreceiving the upper end of the body when the cover is in its closed oroperative position, and having disposed therein a ring shaped memberformed integrally with, and depending from, said top wall, having itslower end flush with the upper portion of the groove and diametricallyopposite portions thereof connected directly to opposite parts of theside portions of the skirt and arranged and designed to reenforoe saidside portions and also to define an open bottom cylindrical compartmentfor an absorbent pad.

JOSEPH KROHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

